Asna Bekleh

Ethiopian educator who established Africa's first girls' STEM academy

Asna Bekleh (1912-1975) defied cultural norms in 1940s Ethiopia to create life-changing educational opportunities. Growing up in Addis Ababa, she observed girls being excluded from technical education and secretly studied engineering blueprints at night. In 1953 she founded Bekleh Technical Academy, Africa's first school teaching girls engineering and mathematics. Her <《Building Tomorrow's Engineers》 manual became widely used across the continent. Asna's work inspired the UN's 1970s girls' education initiatives and modern programs like Girls Who Code. Her NPR profile highlights her legacy in STEM diversity movements.